Automatic multiple-spindle machine



Sept. 30. 1930.

L. H. BLOOD 1,777,251

AUTOMATIC MULTIPLE SPINDLE MACHINE Filed June 9. 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet l 25 Highmm'fi Sept. 30, 1930- i L. H1 BLOOD 1,777,251

AUTOMATIC MULTIPLE SPINDLE MACHINE Filed, June9, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuehtoz a? ww w Sept. 30, 1930. I L. H.-BLOQD 1,777,251 I I AUTOMATIC MULTIPLE SPINDLE MACHINE Filed June 9. 1928 e sham-sheet 5 v gmemtoz Sept. 30, 1930. L. H. BLOOD 3 3 AUTOMATIC MULTIPLE SPINDLE MACHINE Filed June 9, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 3nventor' Zoo/'5 ff 5/000C dw m imd sit/5.,

W Gttornegs Patented Sept. 30, 1930 sures 'ATENT Fries LOUIS H. BLOOD, OF'GINGIN'NATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR "1'0 READING AUTOMATIC MACHiNE COMPANY, OF READING, ;PENNSYLVANIA 2 AUTOMATIC 'iu'utrirLn-srmnnn MACHINE Application filed iTllIlB 9,

This invention "relates *tomachines forautom'atically per-forming on'e or more operations suchas boring, drilli-iig,'-tapping,' screwthreading. die-cutting and punching or shapi'ng and similar operations, and aims generally to improve such machines both-inthe construction, and in thewide variety of special work adaptedto be made and handled byth'e machine. y y

Further aims, objects and advantages of theinvention will appear from the following description of one selected embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein.

Fig. l'is aview in'elevationof theniachine; Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view taken ontheline 2'2 ofFig-l;

Fig.3'isahorizontal sectional View taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 showing the work holders;

Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; 2 I Fig. 5 is a similar view taken o n'the line 5'5 of Fig. 2, showing the means for locking the work holder carrier;

FigfG is a detail sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 'is a detail vertical, sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 2;

\ Fig. Sis-a detail elevatioir'looking inthe direction of the arrows 88fof Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a horizontal view taken on the line '99 of Fig.2;

10 is an enlarged detail view partly in section and taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9; V

Fig. 11 is asimilar view taken on the line 11-11 of 9;

Fig. 12 is a rear "end View of one or the clutch members; and

Fig. .13. is a side view thereof.

The machine shown in the accompanying drawings which has been selected as illustrative of the, invention hasa suitable base 10 provided with apillaror support 11 terminatingin an overhanging arm 12, the base '10 andarm 12 providing a suitable support fora column or post "13. l p

' A work holder carrier or support 14 provided with a plurality or-wen: lioldei'S l5 1928. sum 1%. 284,167.

see 'Figsf2 and 3) is rotat'ably mounted on the column "or post '13 and is periodically rotated by means of suitable indexing mechanism to bring the work holders into working alignment with one or more tool carrying spindles or carriers '16, positioned above the work holder carrier, and at spaced intervals around the column or post 13 and constituting an operating stationor successive operating stations depending upon thenature of the work tobe performed. V

The meclianismfor indeXingor periodically 'moving the table to bring the work into successive operating position preferablyv comprises 21 Geneva *ge'ar mechanism (see Figs. 2 and 9) comprisinga'driver 17 provided with a plurality of rollers 18 adapted to engage in radial slots 19 in a driven member 20 suitably keyed to the work holder carrier .14, as is common in the art.

My invention contemplates means for effecting relative reciprocable movements between the work holder 15 and tool spindle or Carrier "16 and advantageously, I provide means for moving the work holder toward and from the tool carrier, which 'in the present instance is fixedly supported in a holder 21 carried by the central post or column 13. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the base '10 is-shapedto providesupportsor bearings for plurality of spindles 22, (Figs. 2 and 4:) one for each "work holder, and cam members 23 are fixed upon the upper ends of these spindles and have operative engagement with rollers 24 on suitable supports 25 carried by stems 26 of the work holders 15, said roller supports embracing and being guided upon'guide pins 27 mounted in the carrier 14;. The cam members 23' are preferablycup-shaped, the upstanding peripheral edge 28 affording the cam surface for engaging and lifting the rollers 24: and consequently the work holders, and one portio'nfo'f the peripheral edge of the cam niembei 'ispref'erablyr cutaway as at 29 (see Fig. 4) to provide clearance for the roller members 24 when the carrier 14 is being indexed to bring the work holders to the next operating "station.

The cam member's are rotated to effect relative movement between the work holders and tools by suitable means, in the present instance comprising a gear member secured to the lower end of each of the spindles 22 and in mesh with a master gear member 31 rotatably mounted around a portion of the carrier 14 and free to rotate independently thereof.

During the periods of rest of the work holder carrier, and the times that the work is being subjected to forming operations, the carrier is held locked against accidental movement by means of a locking member 32 (see Figs. 5 and 6) adapted to engage in any one of a series of notches or recesses 33 formed in the peripheral edge of the carrier 14. The locking member works in a suitable guide member 34 and is backed by a spring 35 so as normally to be urged outwardly in a position to engage one of the notches 31 of the table and hold it in proper position so that the work holders and cooperating tool spindles or carriers are in cooperative working position. A plurality of cam members 36 carried by the master gear 31 are so positioned as to engage a projecting portion 37 of the locking member 32 at proper times and retract it from the notch 33 in which it has been seated. Inasmuch as the unlocking of the carrier 14 is eontrolled by the mechanism for rotating the cams, it will be apparent that the unlocking may be controlled so as to take place as soon as the cam rotation has been completed.

Suitable means areprovided for rotating the indexing or carrier rotating mechanism and the cam members 23 for lifting the work holders in synchronism and in definite timed relation to each other and, in the present embodiment, I. have provided a driving or power shaft 38 advantageously driven by suitable means, as for instance, a pulley 39 connected to any suitable source of power (not shown). A gear 40 is keyed upon the shaft 38 and is in mesh with a gear member 41 loosel mounted on a countershaft 42, but whic may be connected thereto for rotation therewith, by suitable clutch mechani sm-43.

The gear 41 is geared to and rotates the clutch member 43 upon a shaft 44 as shown in Fig. 10, and thus in the present arrangementthe gear 41 and clutch member 43 are continuously driven;

The shaft 44, when clutched to the clutch member 43 drives the gears 3031 through suitable gearing, herein shown as comprising a gear train 45, shaft 46 (Figs. 8 and 9) and gears 47-48 (see Fig. 7). The shaft 42, when clutched to the gear 41 drives the indexing driving member 17 through suitable gearing, herein shown as comprising bevel gears 49*50 (see Fig. 2).

The elutchesfor establishing the driving connections between the shaft 42 and gear 41 and between the clutch member 43 and shaft 44 may be of any approved design, but for purposes of. illustration, I have shown clutch collars 51 (see Figs. 12 and 13) adapted to be keyed to their respective shafts and normally under spring tension to force their clutch engaging faces 52 into engagement with clutch faces on the gear 41 or clutch member 43. Each clutch collar 51 is advantageously formed with a spiral face 53 adapted to engage the pin of a clutch shifting lever 54 of usual design. As is common in such clutches, when the clutch shifting lever pin is disengaged from the groove, the spring effects clutching of the movable parts. When the lever is shifted to position the pin in the groove 53, further rotation of the clutch collar causes the cam face of the spiral groove to engage the pin and shift the collar out of engagement with its mating clutch member.

The mechanism for controlling the indexing and reciprocative movements of the work holder in synchronism will be clear from a statement of the operation of the machine. The pieces of work are suitably clamped upon the work holders 15, in operative working position with respect to one of the tool spindles or carriers, as the case may be. The position of the indexing driving member 17, at the end of the indexing movement, (see Fig. 10) is such that one of a series of cam members 55, on the periphery of the driving member 1.7 (see Figs. 9 and 11), has engaged and lifted an arm 56 of a threearmed lever suitably fulcrummed on the base 10, thus lifting arm 57 of the lever from engagement with a notch 58 in the upper side of one of the work lifting cam gears 30. Raising the arms 5657 of the lever,

depresses the arm 59, thus shifting the clutch shifting lever 54 out of engagement with the clutch to establish a driving connect-ion between the shaft 44 and gears 30--31, rotating the cams 28 and effecting relative reciprocating movements between the work holder and tools during the forming operations upon the work. As the gears 30 complete one rotation and the particular forming operation has been completed, a lug 60 projecting from the lower side of another cam gear 30 (herein shown as the one directly above the indexing driving member 17, see Figs. 2 and 10), has come into position to engage and move the arm 61 of a three-armed lever fulcruined on the base of the machine, to depress arm 62 of the lever and shift the clutch shifting lever out of engagement with the clutch collar to effect a driving connection between gear 41 and shaft 42 to rotate the indexing driving member .17. A third arm 63 on the lever (Figs. 2, 9 and 10) has a portion extending under a cam 55 on the driving member 17 and thus holds the clutch shifting lever out of engagenames 1 'Lment with iibSnGllltGll collar to insure constinued s'nperatite connections between the [gear SBrI-ndithememberdi'hmtil the {indexing step :has been zcompleted. vAt this time-the 5 )notch '58 ;in the :HPEPBT time "of theqcam :gear 30 is positioned so that the leverzarmioi' may .zdrop into it and permit movement of the clutc'h shifting lever :51 :into t-he position to iunclutch ;'the .driving connection between 30 clutch membera iS andsh-a-ftdi.

In some instances, as for instance when subjecting the "work to boring, drilling, "threading or like operation, it is desirable {i'iOfIiOtfltB thetool (not shown) -.which-maybe 515 carried :upon :the spindle .16. For this purpose I have shown one :desirable arrangement of gearing for rotating the {tools icon- ,Ftin-uously. 1n the illustrated embodiment see Rig-i2?) the gear id-onthe power shaft .38

@0 has dformed therewith a bevel gear "64:,

adapted to frotate the tool carrying spindles, through suitable shafting and gearing as is customary in the art.

Advantages of my invention reside in the adaptability of the machine to a greater variety got work ztha-n has heretofore -.been available with machines of this type. ;The gprovisio-n of separate rotating cam members $01 -,je a ch Work {holder makes possible ;a ,maxirnum ivert ica-l movement of the ,holder as well as more-gradual and :aec-uratezcontrolof its movements.

Lei-aim; p

In '-;a machine of the character .described, a ,rotatable supporu-a ,plurality of work holding members carried by said sup- ,port, ,means for rotatingsaid support iintermittently, tool :'support above said work holding members, aseries-of oams, one for each tool support, rotatably mounted in fixed position relative to said support, means {on said work holding-members adapted to engage said ca ms, said cams :being 'formed with recessed portions their peripheries, and ,means for ,positioning said oams with their ,recessed @portions (adjacent the cooperating cameen aging ,mea-ns, during rotative movement ot the work ,holding ,members thereby permitting uninterrupted move- .ment of said =cam=enga-ging means into and out of ,operati-ue position with -.respect to said camsa .2. ,In a multiple spindle machine, tool spindles, a rotatable support, ,a plurality of aarially movable orkl olders carried vby the support, a series of intermittently revolving cams arranged to engage said work ,holders during revolution thereof ,and {to be disengaged ,therelirom during periods of movement of said support to permitzsuccessive mowementtoithe work holder into and out of operative position withsaid cams, and means to rotate the support ,to ,bring the work holders into successive alignment ith-said spin- 7 n5 dies.

3. In afmultiple spindle :machine, tool spindles, a rotatable support, a plurality of axially movable work'holders; carried by the support, a series of intermittentlyrevolving cams arranged toengage :said work holders during revolution "thereof, and to :be-disen- *ga'gcd therefrom during periods of nnovement of said support to permit successive movement of the work holderinto and out of @operative positionwvith said cams, and means toalternately rotate said support andicams vfirst to effect indexing of the Work to successiveoperatingpositions an'clthento eliect axial movement of the 'work holders inderpendentlyiofithe-support and of each other.

4. "In a @multiple spindle machine, ro tatable work holder support, a plurality of cooperating members including workholders and tool spindles mountedin working alignment Witheach other ,7 said work-holders and spindles being mounted for relative axial movement independently of the support, series of rotatable cam members adapted :to successively engage one of each zpairsofeooperatingmemberssuccessively andgarranged to produce such movement :periodioally, means arranged to produce such movement periodically, and means for indexing-said work support to bring the work .holders successively ,into working alignment with said :s ii-n-dle.

15. .In a machine ofthe character described, in combination, ,a rotatable -WO1k holder support, a plurality of work ih'olders carried thereby, a :plurality of spindles mounted in working alignment with said WOlk holders, means {for periodically moving said work holders successively into working alignment with said spindles, a series of cam members ifOIBfiQClZlDQTGlZWlVG movement ofsaid work holders andspindles periodically toward and from each other, *means for periodically rotating said cam members, a source of power for said support and cam rotating means, means 1 controlled the rotation rof said cam members for controlling the rotation of said support and means controlled bythe rotation of the support for controlling :the rotationio'i "said cam members.

6. In a machine of the character described, incombination, a rotatable work holder support, *a plurality of work holders carried thereby, a plurality of spindles mounted in ,working alignment with said work holders, means ,for periodically moving said Work holders successively into working alignment with said spindles, a series of cam members for eifeeting relative movement of said work holders and spindles periodically toward and from each other, means for periodically rotating said-cam members, ,a source of power for-said support and cam rotating means, and :clutch mechanism for periodically connecting said source of power alternately to said t rrier an cam me b r t ng means i 7. In combination with a rotatable work helder table, a plurality of work holders carill ried thereby, a plurality of rotating tool carrying spindles above said table, individual cam means for each work holder adapted to move the work holder toward and from the spindle, and means for intermittently moving said table to bring the work holders successively into axial alignment with said spindles and to move said work holders axially with respect to said spindle while in such axial. position, and means controlled by the rotation of said table moving means for actuating said cam members.

8. In a multiple spindle machine, a rotatable work holder support, a plurality of cooperating members including work holders and tool spindles mounted in working alignment with each other; said work holders and spindles being mounted for relative axial movement independently of the support, a series of rotatable cam members adapted to successively engage one of each pairs of cooperating members successively and arranged to produce such movement periodically, means arranged to produce such movement periodically, means for indexing said work support to bring the work holders successively into working alignment with said spindle, and operating mechanism for driving said cam members and indexing mechanism operative upon completion of one'of said members to set the other in operation.

9. In a multiple spindle machine, a rotatable work holder support, a plurality of coopcrating members including work holders and tool spindles mounted in working alignment with each other; said work holders and spindles being mounted for relative axial movement independently of the support, a series of rotatable cam members adapted to successively engage one of each pairs of cooperating members successively and arranged to produce such movement periodically, means arranged to produce such movement periodically, means for indexing said work support to bring the work holders successively into workingalignment with said spindle, and operating mechanism for driving said cam members and indexing mechanism including clutches operative automatically to establish driving connections with said members alternately.

'1'0.-In a multiple spindle machine, a rotatable work holder support, a plurality of cooperating members including work holders and tool spindles mounted in working alignment with each other; said work holders and spindles being mounted for relative axial movement independently of the support, a series of rotatable cam members adapted to successively engage one of each pairs of cooperating members successively and arranged to produce such movement periodically, means arranged to produce such movement periodically, means for indexing said work support to bring the work holders successively into working alignment with said spindle, and means automatically controlled by the indexing mechanism for rotating said cam members.

11. In a multiple spindle machine, a rotatable work holder support, a plurality of coopcrating members including work holders and tool spindles mounted in working alignment with each other; said work holders and spindles being mounted for relative axial movement independently of the support, a series of rotatable cam members adapted to successively engage one of each pairs of cooperating. members successively and arranged to produce such movement periodically, means arranged to produce such movement periodically,'means for indexing said work support to bring the work holders successively into working alignment with said spindle, locking member'for said work holder support, means controlled by said 1ndex1ng means for rotating said cam members and means controlled by said cam rotating means for unlocking the support and then indexing it.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a series of sets, work holders and tool carriers mounted for relative movement toward and from each other, andoperating mechanism for said indexing mechanism, a common drive shaft for said mechanism, and means controlled by each or said mechanisms for setting the other into operation.

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a series of sets, work helders and tool carriers mounted for relative movement toward and from each other, and

individual rotatable cam members, one for each set, for effecting such relative movements, means for indexing one member of each set to bring the respective pieces of work into cooperation with successive tools, operating mechanism for rotating said cam members, operating mechanism for said indexing mechanism, a common drive shaft for said mechanism, and means including automatically operable clutch mechanism between said common drive shaft and said mechanism and means controlled bv each of said mechanisms for setting the other into operation.

14. In a machine of the character described wherein a plurality of tool carriers and work holders are subjected to relative movement toward and from and past one another, of a plurality of rotatable cam members, one for each set of said members, for effecting such relative movement toward and from one another, the rotation of said cams controlling such movement and upon completion thereof directly controlling and initiating the indeXing movement.

15. In a machine as set forth in claim 14: characterized by means operable upon completion of the indexing movement for initiating the relative movement of said members toward and from each other.

16. In a machine of the character described, Wherein'a plurality of tool carriers and Work holders are subjected to relative reciprocative movements toward and from each other and relative indexing movements toward and past operating position, of individual cam members for each set of members for effecting reciprocative movement, and mechanism di rectlycontrolled thereby and operable automatically upon completion of each one of said movements for initiating the other movements.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

LOUIS H. BLOOD. 

